Is it ever acceptable for a teacher to throw out a student's food?

[Anonymous]

I am curious to hear responses primarily from parents, but also other adults (and teachers).

[Anonymous]

If you throw food I would think that a reasonable consequence would be to pitch it.

[Anonymous]

Only if it's against school policy (think peanut butter). Otherwise, hell no.

[Anonymous]

This week I found a cheeseburger that a student had left in the desk. it was wrapped in the plastic bag from the lunch room, but I saw it the next morning. I threw it out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This week I found a cheeseburger that a student had left in the desk. it was wrapped in the plastic bag from the lunch room, but I saw it the next morning. I threw it out.

That's fine. Spoiled food doesn't count as "food" IMO. You threw out trash.

[Anonymous]

I'm a 25 year veteran teacher, I've mostly worked in settings where kids eat in the classroom. I've had situations where a kid eats, and then goes somewhere else (e.g. out to recess), and leaves stuff on their desk, and I've thrown it out. I had a kid leave something perishable on the windowsill, and I've thrown it out when I think it's reached the time when it's unsafe.

I've also taken away, and replaced food that doesn't meet a classroom allergy policy (e.g. a kid opens a peanut butter granola bar, I ask them for it, throw it out in a different room, and then replace them with some teddy grahams).

I've also had at least one situation where a food has gotten so dirty that I'd consider it unsafe (e.g. dropped in the mud on a field trip), and again I've thrown it away and replaced it with something from my own lunch.

In 25 years, I think they add up to a handful of times.

[Anonymous]

This is a question where the circumstances matter.

If my child is eating in class, and it is not time to be eating, then I expect and support the teacher in requiring my child to turn over the food to be thrown away or for the teacher to require that my child get up and throw away the food. If my child leaves food in a desk or in a cubbie and it is perishable food then, again, yes, the teacher should throw it away.

Give some background, OP, otherwise I think you're just trying to stir up trouble and pick a fight with your kid's teacher.

[Anonymous]

I'm a teacher who often does lunch duty for elementary school aged children.

I would never throw out food if a child was trying to eat it. I never touch children's food unless they ask me for help. When it is time to go, I tell them to go throw out their food. If they leave the table without doing so and I can't get them back, yes, I will throw out their food for them. If they are stick actively eating, I will allow them to stay and finish eating if need be.... but this usually means going late to recess so it isn't much of an issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a question where the circumstances matter.

If my child is eating in class, and it is not time to be eating, then I expect and support the teacher in requiring my child to turn over the food to be thrown away or for the teacher to require that my child get up and throw away the food. If my child leaves food in a desk or in a cubbie and it is perishable food then, again, yes, the teacher should throw it away.

Give some background, OP, otherwise I think you're just trying to stir up trouble and pick a fight with your kid's teacher.

I disagree with the bolded. If the student is eating at an inappropriate time, then by all means make the kid go and put it away/back in their bag/in their lunchbox, but why would you insist that it be thrown away?

[Anonymous]

OP here. Middle schooler eating during class, clearly trying to hide food.

Curious what others think, and if it would change your opinion if it had been done before, student reprimanded, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a question where the circumstances matter.

If my child is eating in class, and it is not time to be eating, then I expect and support the teacher in requiring my child to turn over the food to be thrown away or for the teacher to require that my child get up and throw away the food. If my child leaves food in a desk or in a cubbie and it is perishable food then, again, yes, the teacher should throw it away.

Give some background, OP, otherwise I think you're just trying to stir up trouble and pick a fight with your kid's teacher.

I disagree with the bolded. If the student is eating at an inappropriate time, then by all means make the kid go and put it away/back in their bag/in their lunchbox, but why would you insist that it be thrown away?

Exactly. It needs to be put away not thrown away.

My child's teacher is a real pain about sweets in the classroom. I never pack any candy, but one day they were doing a project and he took gold coin chocolate to use (not to eat). She told him he couldn't use it and threw it in the trash. I found that utterly tidicilous. Send it home, make him put it away, but she had no right to throw away food I paid for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Middle schooler eating during class, clearly trying to hide food.

Curious what others think, and if it would change your opinion if it had been done before, student reprimanded, etc.

So ... the child was eating despite it not being time, the child was hiding the food/eating, the child probably was attracting attention during all of this (you know, the side looks, the tee-hees from other kids), the child lies and denies eating, the teacher proves eating. Yes, the teacher was right to throw it away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Middle schooler eating during class, clearly trying to hide food.

Curious what others think, and if it would change your opinion if it had been done before, student reprimanded, etc.

It might not be what I'd do, but I wouldn't go so far as to call it "unacceptable". If it was a student where there was any possibility that hunger was an issue, either because of poverty or a medical issue like diabetes that causes someone to need food, then I would consider it unacceptable.

[Anonymous]

With a middle schooler who knew he/she was breaking the rule? Teacher absolutely should have thrown out food to make a point. You should be upset with your child for being so disrespectful in school.

[Anonymous]

If a child leaves a Tupperware of grapes on their desk for 4 days yes, I will throw it out. FYI, this is after I've reminded them to please take it home for the past 3 days. It happens.